I’ve worked with teens for many years and offer a multitude of resources for music therapists and educators based on what I’ve learned working with this age group.

Over the years, I started incorporating one thing at the end of my sessions that I believe helps improve the quality of service I provide.

The thing I started doing is asking the individuals what musical experiences like would like to do at the next session and what music they would like to hear.

As the music therapist, yes it’s my job to assess and plan goals for my clients.

But it’s also my job to take into account the preferences of my clients, and find a way to creatively incorporate those preferences into our musical experiences.

I believe that asking the opinion of my teen clients and allowing them to be involved in planning their services has multiple benefits:

  • They feel empowered
  • They feel motivated to continue attending
  • They feel motivated to be engaged in working toward their goals
  • It allows me to connect with each individual and build rapport

It’s not always possible to incorporate an individual’s requests, however we should try to do so as often as possible.

Here are some musical experiences I created based on input from my teen clients (the results were positive!):

How To Therapeutically Use Songs That Don’t Seem To Have Therapeutic Value

More With Moana – Session Ideas for Attention Goals

Virtual Music Therapy With Teens To Promote Creativity & Self-Expression

Everything is Awesome (The Lego Movie + therapeutic goals)

If you would like more resources and support for working with teens, check out the Tune In To Teens E-Course, pre-approved for 5-15 continuing education credits:

And, check out Elevate, a resource designed to help music professionals infuse creativity and fun into their sessions with teens. It is pre-approved for 7-14 continuing education credits, depending on the package you choose: